1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for inserting a stitch, or suture, through tissue around a hole in an abdominal muscle or a hollow organ, such as might be found in a patient following a laparoscopic surgery.
2. Description of Prior Art
During laparoscopic surgery, small incisions are required at multiple locations to provide access for the instruments which are to be used during the surgery. The incisions have an aperture of approximately ten millimeters (mm) in diameter and are located in the abdominal muscle and fascia, below the epidermis. The depth below the epidermis varies depending on the physical anatomy of the patient. Following surgery, most of the time, a suture is placed in the abdominal muscle adjacent the incision to prevent the formation of a hernia.
Currently, a conical device is used having a hole at a location on the surface of the tapered portion of the device. Another hole is located approximately 180 degrees from the first hole. The conical device is placed in the wound. A pointed device with a grasper on the tip is used to grasp one end of a suture, put it through the first hole in the fixture, through the abdominal muscle and fascia, and into the internal cavity. Once in the internal cavity, the surgeon locates the end of the device using a video camera tool, and grabs the suture using a different instrument located in a different port. The pointed device releases the suture and is then removed, inserted through the other hole, and through the abdominal muscle and fascia into the internal cavity. The surgeon then moves the end of the suture to the new location, where the end of the suture is transferred back to the grasper on the tip of the pointed device for extraction and tying. Obviously, this is a laborious and time-consuming process.